There is no question that the 2008 presidential election is making history with the possibility of America’s first African American or female president. But another historic event is taking place: youth activism is sharply increasing and young people are turning up at the polls in record numbers.

Nearly every state that has held a primary or caucus has seen a rise in voters under the age of 30. According to the University of Maryland’s Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), youth turnout nearly tripled in Texas, and Ohio saw a 10 percent increase.

Super Tuesday also saw polling locations visited by young people at an unusual rate. According to an analysis done by the center, over three million young voters participated in the 24 primaries or caucuses held that day. Seven of the eight states that participated in Super Tuesday in 2000 saw increases in the youth vote, with some states tripling or quadrupling youth involvement.

The 2008 election is seen as one of the most important in history. It is taking place in a country involved in a controversial war with a troubled economy and a president whose approval rating is in the low 30s. The increased youth vote is representative of a country ready for change and this voting group seems to have found its candidate: Senator Barack Obama.

Obama appeals to the generation referred to as Millennials by Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais, co-authors of “Millennial Makeover: MySpace, YouTube & the Future of American Politics” (Rutgers University Press 3/08). This generation includes youth born between 1982 and 2003 and Winograd and Hais describe the age bracket as a more tolerant, diverse and progressive group. According to the authors, Millennials are more of a “civic” generation, ready to focus on uniting society and restoring political and government institutions instead of highlighting moral and societal issues.

With this mindset, Obama is the most attractive candidate in the running, especially with his campaign focusing on change and his use of the catch phrase “Yes You Can.” Many people agree that Obama’s appeal includes his ability to deliver motivating and enthusiastic speeches through his attractive rhetoric, but there is more to his campaign that draws the youth.

“The most important factors are his ability to represent change, his optimistic outlook, and his personal and political style,” Winograd and Hais wrote in an e-mail interview. “Obama is best positioned to take advantage of the desire of Millennials for change.”

Matthew Segal, 22, executive director of the Student Association for Voter Empowerment (SAVE), agrees with Obama’s ability to capitalize on the youth’s readiness for change. SAVE is a non-profit, student-run organization whose main goal is to increase voter participation among young people. Segal says Obama’s campaign has been able to empower youth through his focus on the importance of young people in the 2008 election.

“Young people have historically been devalued by campaigns,” Segal, a senior at Kenyon College, says. “Barack has taken the philosophy that for the first time in history, young voters aren’t going to be considered a bonus, but rather a core or integral part of [the election].”

Obama’s use of change is not his only tactic to reach out to the Millennials. He has also utilized social networks, such as Facebook, in his campaigning, a place on the Internet where young people spend a lot of their free time.

“He is using the social networking technologies that Millennials are most comfortable using to convey his message to Millennials,” wrote Winograd and Hais.